A catheter is advanced through the leg into blood vessels leading to the heart. The catheter is positioned at the site of the aortic valve and then doctors open the valve with a balloon while the heart is still beating.

Dr. Dennis Eastman was also part of the team to operate on Wise.

Eastman said, “The advantage that Covenant has is that we recently opened the hybrid operating room which is a several-million-dollar operating room.”

When Dr. said “hybrid” he meant that it has both operating room equipment and highly specialized radiology equipment.

“So, it enabled us to do this procedure and we are the first hospital in the region that has the ability to do this between probably Phoenix and Dallas,” Eastman said.

Wise said he feels great.

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